TOYOTA GAZOO RACING READY TO DEFEND LE MANS CROWN

**Toyota has won six of the seven races in the 2018-2019 WEC season****Manufacturer and driver world championship already assured for Toyota****Toyota's 21st entry into Le Mans, the first time as defending champions**

Toyota GAZOO Racing will bring the curtain down on its record-breaking 2018-2019 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season when it sets out to defend its Le Mans 24 Hours crown next week in the most challenging event of the year.

Following its historic first victory last year, in the second race of the 2018-2019 WEC season, the team has dominated, winning six of the seven races so far, and goes into the 87th Le Mans 24 Hours already assured of both the teams' and drivers' World Championship.

As well as a battle to claim victory at La Sarthe, the season finale will see the drivers' title decided. The #8 TS050 HYBRID of last year's Le Mans winners Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso holding a 31-point advantage over Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López in the #7, with a maximum of 39 points still to win next week.

For Toyota, the 2019 Le Mans 24 Hours represents the manufacturer's 21st entry into the biggest race of the endurance racing calendar and its first as reigning champions, following last year's victory for the #8 crew of Sébastien, Kazuki and Fernando, who also started on pole position.

Le Mans represents an unrivalled challenge for car, drivers and team, with all elements needing to work in unison to overcome the difficulties of a unique circuit, varying weather conditions, fatigue and the unpredictable nature of a 24-hour race with 62 cars sharing the 13.626km circuit.

Toyota has participated at Le Mans since 2012 with a hybrid-powered LMP1 prototype and the latest car, the TS050 HYBRID, delivers four-wheel drive courtesy of motor generator units on the front and rear axles. By recovering energy under braking and storing this in a high-powered battery, the TS050 HYBRID has a maximum power of 1,000hp.

As the 2019 Le Mans 24 Hours is part of the same season as the 2018 edition, no major changes are permitted to the low-downforce specification TS050 HYBRID, but fine-tuning of set-ups and strategies has been on ongoing process since the team's victory a year ago.

Preparations for race week stepped up a gear with the official test day on Sunday 2 June, during which the two TS050 HYBRIDs set the pace. Sébastien in the #8 recorded the overall quickest lap, marginally slower than last year's best test lap as a result of a 10kg minimum weight increase.

The Le Mans week encapsulates the spirit and challenge of endurance racing, including a total of close to 35 hours of driving, starting on Wednesday 12 June with a four-hour practice session at 16:00 before two hours of qualifying from 22:00.

Qualifying continues on Thursday with two further 120-minute sessions (19:00 & 22:00) and the starting grid is decided by the fastest overall lap from any qualifying sessions. The drivers' parade in Le Mans city on Friday gives fans a chance to meet the drivers before the race weekend, which begins with a 45-minute warm-up at 09:00. The race itself starts at 15:00 on Saturday, with the chequered flag flying at the same time on Sunday.

Hisatake Murata, Team President: "This is an important week for us because it is not only the final race of a long, successful season; it is also the highlight of our year. Le Mans is the focus of so much of our efforts during the season and we have worked very hard to prepare our cars for this race. We take nothing for granted at Le Mans, which is by far the most demanding event on our calendar. The circuit is unique, the long race is demanding, the weather can be challenging and of course we do not take our opposition lightly; Le Mans is a true challenge for everyone. We have trained and prepared with a strong team spirit so I believe we are ready to defend our title and be part of an exciting, emotional race for the fans."

Mike Conway (TS050 HYBRID #7): "Le Mans is a special race because it is our number one objective and it is what the TS050 HYBRID is designed for. At Le Mans we really get to feel the true speed of our car. Whenever I get in the car, I am counting down the days to the next Le Mans; it is constantly on your mind. It is a big, exciting race and it only happens once a year. I love the spirit of Le Mans and I cannot wait to get started this year. It's the final race of the season too so we want to end on a high."

Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 HYBRID #7): "When you arrive at Le Mans, everyone feels that it is something special. I have spent many years in motorsport but the atmosphere and experience of driving on this circuit is always amazing. Le Mans is only once in a year so you don't have a lot of chances to win in your career. We have had the right car for the past three years but so far I am still dreaming of the Le Mans victory. On car #7, we will give everything to make sure this can be our year."

José María López (TS050 HYBRID #7): "We work and dream the whole year for Le Mans; it is the most important race for us. Everyone wants to win Le Mans because it is so challenging and has so much history behind it. For everyone involved in the team, it is a very special experience. We drive at many nice circuits around the world each season but nothing compares to Le Mans; only there can you see the full potential of the TS050 HYBRID. It's a fantastic experience to drive this car at Le Mans."

Sébastien Buemi (TS050 HYBRID #8): "Last year's Le Mans win meant a lot because I have been trying for so long together with Toyota. To finally win the race was an amazing feeling and achievement. Now we also concentrate a bit on the drivers' World Championship and it would be great to win the title again. We will focus together with my team-mates and make sure that we do everything right without any mistakes. I feel that we have a good momentum and we have been doing a good job so far, so let's keep pushing."

Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 HYBRID #8): "To race for 24 hours is tough because there are a lot of challenges just to finish the race and to win is more than difficult. That makes this race so special and that is why we continue to challenge at Le Mans. Last year's victory was of course one of the most important results in my career and even more important for Toyota, which had been trying to win for 30 years. We will need all our effort and power to win again but, like everyone else on the team, I am really motivated to do that."

Fernando Alonso (TS050 HYBRID #8): "Le Mans is the toughest race on the calendar. The victory last year meant a lot to me; it was a dream come true to achieve that on my first attempt. It was a special day, a magical moment. The podium celebration when you see the whole straight, the whole pit lane full of people after so much hard work makes you feel very proud of your team. Fortunately this year we do not have the pressure of winning for the first time and I hope we can enjoy the race a bit more, but we will work hard and it will definitely be very challenging."

TMG built its reputation in motorsport and is home to Toyota's international works motorsport programs.

Two decades of FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) success until the late 1990s were followed by Formula 1 from 2001-2009 - a period during which TMG's facilities and capabilities were expanded significantly.

Since the end of that era, TMG has combined works motorsport participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with research and development support for Toyota Motor Corporation.

TMG operates the Toyota GAZOO Racing team in the WEC. Working with colleagues at Toyota's development centre at Higashi-Fuji in Japan, TMG has developed, built and run the TS030, TS040 and TS050 hybrid race cars.

Its development work includes the 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection engine for the Yaris WRC race cars that compete under the Toyota GAZOO Racing banner in the WRC.

TMG has built a thriving business as a supplier of high-performance services to the automotive and motorsport sectors - everything from specialised components to complete vehicles.

Additionally, TMG has built a growing customer motorsport business covering activities in rally and circuit racing, with all activities inspired by TMG's vision of "creating excitement through team spirit and advanced technology".

Drawing on its motorsport experience, TMG offers a range of vehicles for private motorsport participation, such as the GT86 CS Cup and CS-R3 models which participate in the Toyota GAZOO Racing Trophy.

TMG is a pioneer of high-performance solutions for hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) development. Its experience was originally derived from the development of Formula 1 Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems and has expanded to cover EV development and the production of complete electric vehicles.

The high performance of its systems was proven by establishing the EV lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife and at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

TOYOTA'S HYBRID WEC CHALLENGE

Toyota resurrected its dream of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance classic when it announced it would participate in the LMP1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2012.

The new car, developed at Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG), would be fitted with hybrid powertrain produced at Toyota's Higashi-Fuji research and development centre in Japan. The engine was a normally aspirated 3.4-litre V8. For the hybrid system, a Denso motor/generator was installed between engine and gearbox. A Nisshinbo capacitor was used for energy storage.

2012
At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Toyota debuted the TS030 Hybrid race car - the company's successor to the iconic TS010 and TS020 cars which participated at Le Mans with podium success in the 1990s. TS stands for Toyota Sport. Two cars were entered at Le Mans and the TS030 Hybrid led in the early stages, but neither car finished. Two months later, Toyota Racing scored a podium finish and set the fastest lap in just its second WEC race at the Six Hours of Silverstone. Its first victory followed in Brazil, followed by pole position and race wins at Fuji and Shanghai - an emphatic demonstration of the power of Toyota hybrid system.

2013
An evolution of the TS030 Hybrid was introduced for 2013 with the biggest change being an improved Nisshinbo super capacitor. Total power output of 830hp was achieved by squeezing out 530hp from engine and 300hp from hybrid system. Although victory at Le Mans proved elusive, the team earned a creditable 2nd place and later achieved wins in Fuji and Bahrain.

2014
The totally new TS040 Hybrid was developed with bigger 3.7-litre engine and 520hp output that achieved a 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption. The hybrid system employed a Denso motor/generator on the rear and Aisin motor/generator at the front to provide power to all four wheels. This hybrid system produced 480hp, which contributed to a total of 1000hp (735kW). The team won five out of the eight races to win both the manufacturers' and drivers' world championships (Anthony Davidson, Sébastian Buemi). At Le Mans, the team earned third place with one car, while the pole-winning #7 car was forced to retire after leading for 14 hours.

2015
Toyota fought the 2015 season with an evolved version of 2014 car, but achieved only two podium finishes in the first and final races of the season. The 2015 season was notable as it marked the introduction of the Toyota GAZOO Racing identity in Toyota's motorsport activities, including WEC. At the end of the season, driver Alex Wurz retired, having been part of the team since the beginning of the project.

2016
A newly designed TS050 Hybrid was introduced for 2016 with a direct-injection 2.4-litre V6 engine employing twin-turbo technology for the first time. Total output including engine and hybrid system was again 1000hp. To store the hybrid energy, Toyota switched to a high-powered lithium-ion battery, replacing the previous super capacitor. The team started strongly with second place in the season opener and looked set to win round two in Spa before engine problems on both cars. Le Mans proved to be dramatic and heartbreaking, with the lead TS050 Hybrid suffering a technical problem while leading on the penultimate lap. The other car finished second. Toyota won later in the year at its "home" track in Japan. The bid to become only the second Japanese manufacturer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans was made tougher by regulation changes that severely restricted the fuel and energy use in the two Toyota race cars compared with their non-hybrid rivals.

2017
Toyota GAZOO Racing kicked off the new season with triumphs at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps and clearly targeted its inaugural victory at Le Mans. To achieve this aim, three significantly improved TS050 Hybrid cars were brought to the famous French race, but they suffered technical trouble or unexpected circumstances. However, Kamui Kobayashi's record-breaking pole position time of 3:14.791 was an honourable achievement. It proved the great potential of the TS050 Hybrid, as did the three consecutive victories in the final three rounds of the season, making a total of five wins against Porsche's four.

2018-19
For the new WEC season, the so-called Super Season, Toyota GAZOO Racing added two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso to its driving talent, in place of Anthony Davidson who remains a reserve and development driver.

Toyota secured an historic victory at Le Mans with a 1-2 result in its 20th attempt at the iconic endurance race. After 24 hours and 388 laps of the La Sarthe circuit, Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso in the #8 TS050 Hybrid took the chequered flag ahead of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López in the #7 car.

Toyota again took the manufacturers' title, winning six of the seven races in the extended season that will end this month with the 87th running of Le Mans classic. The #8 crew also won at Spa-Francorchamps in May 2018 and May 2019, as well as this year's 1000 Miles of Sebring (March). The #7 team won the six-hour races at Fuji (October) and Shanghai (November). Buemi, Nakajima and Alonso head the drivers' standings with 160 points from Conway, Kobayashi and López on 129 points. There are 39 points available in the last race of the season at Le Mans.

At the recent Le Mans test day, 2017 winner and two-time world endurance champion Brendon Hartley made his first official appearance for Toyota GAZOO Racing, completing the minimum laps required to qualify to race in the event of any issue for one of the team's regular drivers. The New Zealander will compete for the team next season in place of Fernando Alonso.

2019-20
With Toyota GAZOO Racing set to defend its latest championship, it has announced that rising star Thomas Laurent will join the team as a test and reserve driver. The new season will run from 1 September 2019 at Silverstone to 14 June 2020 at Le Mans. Laurent, 21, has a Le Mans podium to his name, finishing second as a teenager in 2017. His first experience of the TS050 Hybrid was during the WEC rookie test in Bahrain in December 2017. He has again impressed this season in his first experience of LMP1 competition, winning the 6 Hours of Silverstone last year. He is currently joint third in the drivers' championship.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Hisatake Murata has worked at Toyota Motor Corporation since 1987, fulfilling key roles during his 30-year career, which has encompassed various motorsport activities.

He started out as a race engine engineer, working on the Le Mans project from 1987-1993. He also worked in Champ Car from 1995-2002. At the conclusion of the company's involvement in Champ Car, after taking the title in 2002, he moved to road car development as production engine engineer, a role he held for three years.

In 2006, he took on the position of Racing Hybrid Project General Manager as Toyota's focus on utilising hybrid technology in racing increased. The first fruits of the project came in 2007 when the Supra HV-R won the Tokachi 24 Hours and became the world's first hybrid winner in an international motorsport race.

As part of his pivotal role in the development of hybrid technology for motorsport, he became Hybrid Project Leader for Toyota's WEC project in 2012. In 2017 Motorsport

Unit Development Department, where he works as a General Manager, changed its name to Toyota GAZOO Racing Development Department. He remained in the same position until moving to TMG as its President in 2017. He leads various projects alongside the WEC program.

Kojima joined Toyota Motor Corporation in 1996 and worked on the hybrid powertrain for the first Prius at Higashifuji Technical Center.

He moved to the racing engine development department in Motorsport division in 2002 and started to work on Toyota's Formula 1 engine. After three years in the F1 engine program, Kojima moved to the hybrid system development division to work on the Lexus RX450h's engine in 2005 and then started development of the hybrid system for Aqua and Camry vehicles in 2009.

He became a general manager at the engine control system development division in 2012 and worked on the Lexus RX450J and Lexus LC500H. In 2015 he moved to the Powertrain Unit Management Division where his role was related to advanced engineering on powertrains. After two years, Kojima was appointed a general manager of GR Motorsport Development division in August 2017 and leads the group of engineers who work on TS050 HYBRID powertrain. He is the successor of Hisatake Murata who moved to TMG as President in 2017.

Name: Pascal Vasselon
Title: Technical Director

Frenchman Pascal Vasselon has a career steeped in motorsport at the highest level and brings huge experience to the team.

A graduate in aeronautics from L'Ecole Nationale Superieure de l'Aeronautique et de l'Espace, Vasselon's entry into motorsport was in 1985 when he joined Renault Sport working on vehicle model making and suspension development.

Towards the end of the 1980s, he moved to tyre manufacturers Michelin where he evolved his career for 16 years. Starting out in the company's vehicle dynamics division, Pascal joined Michelin Competition in 1991, initially in advanced research, then as head of circuit activities and ultimately to a role as F1 director, leading Michelin's involvement in Formula 1.

He moved to TMG in 2005 and led an upsurge in Toyota's F1 performance, culminating in a podium-filled 2009 season, ultimately the company's last in that discipline.

In 2010, Vasselon became TMG technical director, responsible for all technical matters in Cologne, including the WEC project.

Name: Rob Leupen
Title: Team Director

Dutchman Rob Leupen joined TMG in 1995. In his role as general manager human resources, Leupen was responsible for establishing the company's personnel infrastructure over 14 years.

He was actively involved in the latter stages of TMG's involvement in the World Rally Championship and Le Mans in the late 1990s before the company turned its attention to Formula 1 throughout the 2000s.

Rob became general manager general administration in 2010 before moving up to the role of director business operations one year later, managing all commercial aspects of TMG.

More recently, he has held the role of TMG managing director, responsible for all aspects of the company's business and operations.

Name: John Litjens
Title: Chassis Project Leader

John Litjens first joined Toyota in 1997 to work on the team's new Le Mans project, which delivered the legendary TS020. As race engineer for Toyota's Le Mans program in 1998 and 1999, John was at the sharp end of a thrilling challenge for victory which redefined the boundaries of Le Mans car development.

As the Le Mans program drew to a close and the company shifted its attention to Formula 1, John initially became senior engineer integration before assuming the role of group leader chassis integration.

In 2004, John took on the title of project leader (chief designer) and for the concluding years of the team's F1 engagement he was chief project leader, with responsibility for new car development.

As TMG began the challenge of developing an LMP1 car for the WEC, John was given responsibility for overseeing the design of the chassis, giving him a crucial role in the team's fortunes.

Name: John Steeghs
Title: Team Manager

John Steeghs has spent his career in motorsport, initially in DTM before his first taste of Le Mans with the Porsche GT1 project in 1997.

As Toyota geared up its own Le Mans challenge with the TS020, John moved to Cologne, bringing his expertise in parts planning and logistics. That knowledge was transferred to Toyota's new Formula 1 program, on which John was responsible for parts planning and car-build coordination.

With a detailed overview of every aspect of motorsport logistics, John was the natural choice to become team manager for the new WEC project in 2012. He has led the team on site at every race since then.

His role covers all aspects of team operations at the track, ensuring the right environment to succeed for every team member, as well as being a vital interface to race stewards and scrutineers.